Flat panel displays such as liquid crystal displays (LCDs), organic light-emitting displays (OLEDs), and plasma display panels (PDPs) are now widely available to consumers. Some flat panel displays include a backlight module. The backlight module provides a light source to illuminate the flat panel for displaying images.
FIG. 1 is a top view of a conventional backlight module 10. In this view of the conventional backlight module 10, a module casing 110, lamps 120, a backpanel 160, lamp wires 170, and high-voltage power lines 180 can be observed. In a bottom view of the conventional backlight module 10, which is illustrated in FIG. 2, a driving circuit board 150, and connectors 185 are shown.
The lamps 120, the driving circuit board 150, the backpanel 160, the lamp wires 170, the high-voltage power lines 180, and the connectors 185 are all disposed in the module casing 110. The connectors 185 are electrically connected to the lamp wires 170 of the lamps 120 through the high-voltage power lines 180. The lamps 120 are disposed on the backpanel 160, and the driving circuit board 150 is disposed under the backpanel 160.
As is shown in FIG. 2, the driving circuit board 150 includes connectors 154, capacitors 134, a printed circuit board 156, and an inverter 152. The connectors 154, the capacitors 134, and the inverter 152 are disposed on the printed circuit board 156, and the connectors 154 are coupled to the connectors 185 such that the inverter 152 drives the lamps 120 through the capacitors 134 and the connectors 154.
The conventional backlight module 10 has a number of connectors 154. Because of the number of the connectors 154, the connectors 185 and the high-voltage power lines 180 have to correspond to the number of the lamps 120. But the prices of the connectors 154, the connectors 185, and the high-voltage power lines 180 are not low. Thus, the manufacturing cost of the conventional backlight module cannot be reduced effectively.
Additionally, the board material for the printed circuit board 156 usually has the rectangular shape. Some of the board material cannot be utilized after the connectors 154, the capacitors 134, and the inverter 152 are disposed on the printed circuit board 156, thereby wasting the resource.
Thus, there is a need for a backlight module that can be manufactured at a reduced cost and that wastes less material.